INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATION POLICY DEVELOPMENT Issues Dr

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATION POLICY DEVELOPMENT Issues Dr Abdul Rahim Ahmad abdrahim. ahmad@gmail. com 019 -3556164

Summary Equitable and Stable Growth: A case for bridging the Digital Divide Competitive growth in a Borderless World: A case for K-management systems in economy and society Sustainable growth in an environment of turbulence: A case for systemic institutional innovation

Equitable and Stable Growth: A case for bridging the Digital Divide

Digital Divide – Internet Access World Total 377. 65 million 100% Africa 3. 11 million 0. 82% Asia-Pacific 89. 68 million 23. 75% Latin America 15. 26 million 4. 04% Middle East 0. 64% 2. 40 million Canada & USA 161. 31 million 42. 71% Europe 105. 89 million 28. 04% Population • World total 6 b • Canada, USA & Europe 1 b 70% of those online 1/6 of World Population has 70% of the Access

Number of Internet users 2010

Internet Users

Socio-economic value of ICTs The Digital Divide Gap Social & economic impact of ICTs • Poor Value realization due to insufficient value creating content Value gap Intensity of ICT adoption Adoption gap Diffusion of ICT infrastructure • Barrier to entry due to literacy level and language • Complexity of computers Access gap • Connectivity • High cost of deployment PHASE 1. Employ indicators of ICT diffusion PHASE 2. Employ indicators of intensifying adoption PHASE 3. Employ indicators of socio-economic impact Time

Equitable and Stable Growth Internet access is the pre-condition to any Information Society and the pre-cursor to the K -Society Digital revolution is magnifying existing inequities, which creates greater risk of societal instability and excludes large segments of population from participating in society and economy “Equitable Access” is CRITICAL for survival and success in the Information Age as it fosters a STABLE environment for growth.

Competitive growth in a Borderless World: A case for K-management systems in economy and society

Malaysia’s Ranking of Competitiveness 1996 2000 USA 1 1 Singapore 2 2 Finland 15 3 Ireland 22 7 Malaysia 23 25

CASE FOR COMPETITIVE GROWTH Information is a key factor in the K-Economy Intellectual capital of all Malaysians needs to be harnessed and utilized for enhancing competitiveness in the global economy K-factor is needed for sustainable economic competitiveness K-level in existing P-Economy needs to increase Growth of new K-industries that thrive on innovation and entrepreneurship must be promoted

KEY TO COMPETITIVE GROWTH KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS Embedded information and knowledge management systems at the level of Individual (formal and informal education systems) Firm (training and operating systems) Nation K-Factor and K-manipulation skills + Innovative and entrepreneurial spirit in People Organizations Systems

Sustainable growth in an environment of turbulence: A case for systemic institutional innovation

CASE FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH The progressive and qualitative transformation of society [into a K-Society] towards a better quality of life for all requires a continuous transformation of the existing socio-technical innovation system Institutional innovations are key in transforming Malaysia’s socio-technical innovation systems as they lay the foundation for sustainable growth

KEY TO SUSTAINABLE GROWTH SYSTEMIC INSTITUTIONAL INNOVATION Economic System Socio-Cultural System Environmental System Learning System Governance System CONTINUOUS INSTITUTIONAL INNOVATION Systemic Sustainable Growth

References Gassmann, H. P. (1990). Information Technology Developments and Implication for National Policies, Oslo. Graham, A. (1997). “Public Policy and the Information Superhighway: The Case of the United Kingdom, ” in Kahin, B. and Wilson, E. (eds. ), National Information Infrastructure Initiatives, The MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts and London. Gurbaxani, V. , Kraemer, K. L. , King, J. L. , Jarman, S. , Dedrick, J. , Raman, K. S. , and Yap, C. S. (1990). “Government as the Driving Force Toward the Information Society: National Computer Policy in Singapore, ” The Information Society, Vol. 7. 155 -185. Kahin, B. and Wilson, E. (eds. ) (1997). National Information Infrastructure Initiatives, The MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts and London.